Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale | Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
California, United States
avbc.com
Style: Winter Warmer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.90%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Winter Solstice® is our take on the classic style of “winter warmer.” Boasting a deep amber hue and rich mouthfeel, its creamy finish will lift your spirits. Hints of toffee, spice, and caramel tease the senses making this the perfect ale to share with friends and family during the cold days and long nights of winter.
Added by maxpower on 11-18-2001
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,809 | Reviews: 732
4.02/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Orange-amber color with 80% opacity. A full 1/2 finger of head with a nice frothy top layer.
Aromas of caramel, brown bread, and spices. A little on the weak side but I get the idea.
Flavor is very caramel forward, almost like caramel rolls. Nice bready undertones, with hints of pine here and there. Molasses and licorice compliment the overall profile. Brown bread finish.
Feel is creamy and just right on the carbonation. A slight dryness that evaporates immediately as soon as it appears.
Overall this beer is pretty fantastic, even several months later. I like it a lot and would buy it again.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Orange-amber color with 80% opacity. A full 1/2 finger of head with a nice frothy top layer.
Aromas of caramel, brown bread, and spices. A little on the weak side but I get the idea.
Flavor is very caramel forward, almost like caramel rolls. Nice bready undertones, with hints of pine here and there. Molasses and licorice compliment the overall profile. Brown bread finish.
Feel is creamy and just right on the carbonation. A slight dryness that evaporates immediately as soon as it appears.
Overall this beer is pretty fantastic, even several months later. I like it a lot and would buy it again.
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3.35/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
4.42/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.67/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.35/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.81/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
do not get me wrong, I think this is a fine beer. it is just not a "great" beer. To me, a 4 or above is a great beer. This is good if you like to drink something alcoholic and can't tell it has alcohol. But, you can't really tell this is beer, mostly. To some, that is great. I like beer though. So, the conflicted feelings about this beer.
This is mild, sweet, and easy to drink. The flavors, as other have said, are of alcoholic cream soda. Now, I like cream soda a lot, so maybe that is why I rated this high.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
do not get me wrong, I think this is a fine beer. it is just not a "great" beer. To me, a 4 or above is a great beer. This is good if you like to drink something alcoholic and can't tell it has alcohol. But, you can't really tell this is beer, mostly. To some, that is great. I like beer though. So, the conflicted feelings about this beer.
This is mild, sweet, and easy to drink. The flavors, as other have said, are of alcoholic cream soda. Now, I like cream soda a lot, so maybe that is why I rated this high.
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3.74/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.03/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Look: Copper in color with a two finger off-white head of thick foam. Good head retention.
Smell: Malts with hints of cinnamon and allspice.
Taste: All I really taste are malts but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are crisp and clean with plenty of malt flavor.
Medium thick chewy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Finishes crisp and clean.
Overall: A very good malt forward beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Look: Copper in color with a two finger off-white head of thick foam. Good head retention.
Smell: Malts with hints of cinnamon and allspice.
Taste: All I really taste are malts but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They are crisp and clean with plenty of malt flavor.
Medium thick chewy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Finishes crisp and clean.
Overall: A very good malt forward beer.
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3.94/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer has a nice spicy sweetness to it that reminds me of a cider. It's not so sweet that it loses its beer taste, but it's got notes closer to honey than I usually find in a winter ale.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer has a nice spicy sweetness to it that reminds me of a cider. It's not so sweet that it loses its beer taste, but it's got notes closer to honey than I usually find in a winter ale.
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3.98/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A beer curious, usually untested American beers. I leverage oportunitat.Una cerevsa correct, with good taste in the mouth, smell worked well
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A beer curious, usually untested American beers. I leverage oportunitat.Una cerevsa correct, with good taste in the mouth, smell worked well
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3.62/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
From and undated can into a goblet.
Pours with a cloudy "ruddy orange" body under an awesome off-white billowy head.
On the Nose: pineapple, caramel-apple, sugar-crusted holiday bread crust.
The flavor combines some really appealing elements. Pineapple and raisin caramel dominates, with nice (but restrained) notes of oxidation. Fruit-cake and a faint whiff of spice cabinet round things out. Lower bitterness but not too sweet either.
Conclusion: A fruitier version of this style, which is nice. I still prefer maltier iterations (such as Jubelale), but this style is broad enough to incorporate both sides of the spectrum easily. A very good winter beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
From and undated can into a goblet.
Pours with a cloudy "ruddy orange" body under an awesome off-white billowy head.
On the Nose: pineapple, caramel-apple, sugar-crusted holiday bread crust.
The flavor combines some really appealing elements. Pineapple and raisin caramel dominates, with nice (but restrained) notes of oxidation. Fruit-cake and a faint whiff of spice cabinet round things out. Lower bitterness but not too sweet either.
Conclusion: A fruitier version of this style, which is nice. I still prefer maltier iterations (such as Jubelale), but this style is broad enough to incorporate both sides of the spectrum easily. A very good winter beer.
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3.59/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark ruby/black tea in appearance, very little carbonation or head. No lacing.
Sweet malty and nutty smell, taste backs that up. It's a bit muted, but not bad.
Clean and wet mouthfeel. This is a fair beer, very sessionable, but not memorable. I prefer my winter warmers to crank up the flavor...
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark ruby/black tea in appearance, very little carbonation or head. No lacing.
Sweet malty and nutty smell, taste backs that up. It's a bit muted, but not bad.
Clean and wet mouthfeel. This is a fair beer, very sessionable, but not memorable. I prefer my winter warmers to crank up the flavor...
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3.52/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.18/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Rose Bowl game at sharp edge. Tried this after an American stout, so it wasn't as enjoyable. Definite toffee notes. Would not be my first choice, but I think it's a good example of this style.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Rose Bowl game at sharp edge. Tried this after an American stout, so it wasn't as enjoyable. Definite toffee notes. Would not be my first choice, but I think it's a good example of this style.
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4.17/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours out into a Duvel glass a nice clear rich reddish amber color with a 1 1/2" light tan head that recedes slowly leaving some thick, fluffy lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping leaves some scattered patches of lacing. For most of the beer there’s a ring of foam around the glass and a thin layer of foam on the surface.
The aromas include some caramel and some gentle winter spices such as vanilla and nutmeg and possibly a bit of cinnamon. There's also some some toffee in the mix.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose including some caramel and toffee sweetness accented by the vanilla along with a bit of nutmeg. There’s not much bitterness but what is there seems slightly earthy.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite smooth with gentle persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness fades and the spices fade more slowly. That bit of bitterness emerges to pair with some vanilla and then end things in slightly bitter earthy dryness.
Overall an enjoyable beer that seems well made and ideal for a winter warmer that delivers some nice flavors but doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Glad I’ve got a couple more waiting in the fridge.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours out into a Duvel glass a nice clear rich reddish amber color with a 1 1/2" light tan head that recedes slowly leaving some thick, fluffy lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping leaves some scattered patches of lacing. For most of the beer there’s a ring of foam around the glass and a thin layer of foam on the surface.
The aromas include some caramel and some gentle winter spices such as vanilla and nutmeg and possibly a bit of cinnamon. There's also some some toffee in the mix.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose including some caramel and toffee sweetness accented by the vanilla along with a bit of nutmeg. There’s not much bitterness but what is there seems slightly earthy.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite smooth with gentle persistent carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness fades and the spices fade more slowly. That bit of bitterness emerges to pair with some vanilla and then end things in slightly bitter earthy dryness.
Overall an enjoyable beer that seems well made and ideal for a winter warmer that delivers some nice flavors but doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Glad I’ve got a couple more waiting in the fridge.
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3.5/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.5/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. The appearance is a clear amber color with a medium sized white head. The aroma is grainy with some malt and spice. The taste is pretty sweet with malt and has a creamy texture with a hint of spices.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. The appearance is a clear amber color with a medium sized white head. The aroma is grainy with some malt and spice. The taste is pretty sweet with malt and has a creamy texture with a hint of spices.
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Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale from Anderson Valley Brewing Company
3.86
out of 5
based on 1,809 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Had this beer in my stash for a while as I traded for it quite a few months ago. It's not often that I have seasonals anymore as I tend to think that most are quite gimmicky but this one was pleasantly enjoyable and a nice surprise that stood out to me. The fact that this put a smile on my face months after the season that this was intended for was proof of how nicely this was crafted and the timeless nature of it. It's not often that I can enjoy a winter beer in the middle of the summer heat!
Nice pour to this as the mahogany hue and tan head were reminiscent of an Octoberfest or a seasonally-appropriate Marzen beer. The foam settled a bit faster than I would have liked but lingered in the form of thin but copious amounts of rings around the side of my pint glass. The liquid was on par with the lacing as the caramel and apple shone through in the nose and never backed down. Very little spice that would be present in a Winter Warmer was present here as this felt more like a Brown Ale with a copious amount of caramel and nut thrown in food good measure. Apple, pear, hazelnut, and almond were all here to go with caramel malt and some light toffee, topped off with some cream to give this sweetness. This wasn't strong either, when it came to the amount of booze, body, or carbonation as the flavors were allowed to linger long after the liquid went down.
While not a session beer, it would be incredibly easy to have another one of these after finishing off an initial bottle. It's not often that something comes along that surprises me and given that most of what I drink is now out of cans, it takes a lot for a bottle to leave this kind of impression on me. This did it and next year, I'll be reaching for one of these, and you should too! It's great for the winter solstice but nicely crafted for the rest of the year, with plenty to enjoy for any level of imbiber. Nice job all-around!
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